Tag Archives: Seafood

There’s nothing like having a no-fail recipe in your repertoire, because you know you can always count on the result being the same. However, having been in the kitchen for so long, I like to challenge myself, play around, and experiment to change things up a little. This is a spin-off to a dish that I made called Scrumptious Seafood Pasta Dish. The method is very similar, but I added some roasted red bell peppers. The result was equally as delicious. Follow me in My Kitchen!

1) Wash peppers, and broil them whole, on high for about 10-15 minutes depending how close they are to the burner. Turn them occasionally, using a mitten. Once they are charred all around, remove them from the oven. Place them in a brown paper bag and close it. Let it sit in there for about 15 minutes. This step will make it easier to remove the skin. It should peel off easily. If not, use a knife to remove the skin. Set aside.

2) On Medium-high heat, drizzle the olive oil on the bottom of a 6-quart pan. Sautee the garlic, as soon as it releases its aroma, drop the scallops and deglaze with the wine. This should take a couple of minutes.

3) Add the tomatoes, bell peppers, clam juice and season with salt, pepper, oregano. Slowly add the heavy cream and stir. Lower the heat and bring to a quick simmer. This does not take long as you do NOT want to overcook the scallops. They will become chewy. Remove from burner.

4) Simultaneously, bring water to a boil for the pasta and cook according to package directions. I like to cook it al dente, (to the bite). Once pasta is cooked, drain it, and reserve 1/4 cup of the water. Drop pasta into the scallop sauce, and add pasta water if necessary. Put the pan back on the burner, swirl in the butter for some added richness, and give it a good stir. This is all done at very low heat to warm it up. Garnish with the basil at the end so they don’t wilt. Now, it’s time to plate. Sprinkle with cheese and voilà, the result is a lip smacking delicious pasta dish.

I hope you will try this delectable recipe that will have your loved ones begging for seconds. Have a fantastic new week!

Wine pairing suggestions: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc. For a special occasion, pair this dish with a nice Viognier, and you will wow your guests.

Scrumptious Seafood Pasta Dish #2

Scrumptious Seafood Pasta Dish

*Cook’s tips:

1) You can grill, roast or broil the peppers. The broiler was the most convenient for me.

2) You probably won’t need the pasta water in this version. There should be plenty of sauce to coat the linguine. Use your judgment.

3) As you can see, I didn’t use all the seafood that I used in the original dish. You are more than welcome to use them, if you want.

It’s been a while since I have made pasta with clams. I have a few versions of them, but I like to change things up from time to time. It was 5:20 PM when I headed to the kitchen, and I challenged myself to have dinner ready on or before 6:00 PM. I felt like I was on a cooking show, but with less pressure of course. I began prepping all the ingredients, and needed everyone out of my way. I blasted the air, and started cooking like a mad woman. You certainly don’t have to put that kind of pressure on yourselves. To add to the madness, I was shooting pictures, and decided to do a last-minute mini video. Here is a list of the ingredients you will need, and my method of cooking.

Preparation:
1) Prep all your ingredients. Set aside. Bring pasta water to a boil.2) In the meanwhile, in a medium-sized pan (with a lid) heat up olive oil, add the chiles, sauté for 1-2 minutes, and REMOVE. Add the shallots, sauté for 2-3 minutes, add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir until it caramelizes. Deglaze with the wine. Lower the heat, and reduce for 1-2 minutes.

3) Add the clams, cover with a lid and simmer on low- heat for about 10 minutes or so, or until the clams open up.

4) You will be doing some juggling. By now, the water probably started to boil, add the salt, drop pasta in the water. Cook according to package directions. (I like it al dente, to the bite).

5) Clams should be done. (If you overcook them, they will get chewy. Either keep them on very low flame, or remove them from the burner.

6) In the midst of cooking, you will find time to prep the garlic bread and broil it. Keep your eyes, on the stove and burners at all times.

7) Drain the pasta, and add it to the clams. ( Make sure you reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water) Use your judgment about how much broth you want. Stir in the butter, and the reserved pasta water. Mix well. Put back on low flame if necessary to warm it up.

8) Serve at once, in a pasta bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with flat-leave parsley. Voila! Done! My dinner was served at 5:59 PM. I rose to the challenge.

I served it with some homemade crostini, (garlic bread), and my family had a feast. I hope you will try this hearty and delicious dish in your kitchen for your loved ones.

Gina’s Tips:

Make sure clams are all closed when you buy them. Those that stay open are dead, and not suitable for consumption. Beware of certain allergies with shellfish.

Warning: The chiles are optional, because they are very spicy. However, if you want to add some kick to the dish, use them as per my instructions.

Wine suggestion: A nice chilled Chardonnay, or any white wine of your choice.

This is probably the easiest, and most delicious way to eat sea scallops. I don’t make them often, because they are on the expensive side. However, once in a while I like to splurge on these scrumptious sea mollusks. They are a good source of protein, and healthy for you. This method requires very little time to prepare them.

1) In a medium size bowl, season sea scallops with freshly ground black pepper. Add the balsamic vinegar, mix well. Let it marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes. Turn them at least once. Do not let it sit too much longer in the marinade.

2) On high heat, (almost the highest setting) in a large, stainless-steel frying pan, barely cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Make sure, it is hot, if not, you will not obtain the nice golden brown color.

3) Drain the scallops as much as you can, (do not use a paper towel) and place it on the hot pan, in a single layer. Cook on high heat for about 4 minutes. I use the kitchen timer. BE CAREFUL, OIL WILL SPLATTER A LITTLE, and the stove will get messy.

4) Lower the flame to medium, flip scallops, and cook other side for about 2 minutes. That’s it!!! DO NOT OVERCOOK, AS THEY WILL GET CHEWY.

I served the scallops with brown rice, and broccoli. The entire meal took about 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish. I hope you will try it soon.

Every once in a while I make crab cakes, and I always strive to come up with the best possible recipe. I think, I finally succeeded tonight. Generally, Blue Crab are used, and they are indigenous to the state of Maryland. They are famous for their crab cakes. My family gave my Maryland style crab cakes rave reviews, and I am happy to share my version with all of you.

Servings: 6 – 8 Degree of difficulty: Medium. Yield about 12 crab cakes. This recipe can be divided in half to serve about 3-4

2) In a large bowl, combine crabmeat and all the remaining ingredients. Add the veggies, and mix well. Form crab cake patties, just like you would make a hamburger, place on a tray and chill in the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes.

3) Heat up enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large pan, on medium high heat, (make sure the oil is hot) place at the most, 4 patties, AND LOWER HEAT TO MEDIUM, otherwise, crab cakes will come out too dark. Cook on one side for 4 minutes, then flip gently with a spatula and the aid of a fork, cook on the other side for 2 minutes. Remove promptly. Repeat. You can also broil them for a healthier version.

I served them with a rémoulade sauce which consist of 2 tbsp. ketchup, 1 tbsp. mayo, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, creole seasoning to taste. Mix well.

I also made a beautiful beet salad with field greens to go with it. I hope, you will give this recipe a try. Your family will love you for it.

Like this:

A few years ago, hubby and I took a trip of a lifetime to California. We got to visit many wonderful cities as well as wine country. We were mesmerized by the beautiful sceneries, enjoyed some delicious food, and sipped on luscious wines. Today, I want to share with you this pasta dish, that we savored at Brophy Bros Clam Bar in beautiful Santa Barbara. This restaurant overlooks the lovely pier and the breathtaking mountain views. This dish was so inspiring, that I decided to recreate it, and the result was smashing.

1) In a 6 quart pan, on med-high heat, drizzle the olive oil on the bottom, sautee the garlic, as soon as it releases its aroma, drop all the seafood in there and deglaze with the wine. This should take a couple of minutes.

2) Add the tomatoes, clam juice and season with salt, pepper, oregano. Slowly add the heavy cream and stir. Lower the heat and bring to a quick simmer. This does not take long as you do NOT want to overcook the seafood. They will become chewy.

3) Simultaneously, bring water to a boil for the pasta and cook according to package directions. I like to cook it al dente, (to the bite). Once pasta is cooked, drain it, and reserve 1/4 cup of the water. Drop pasta and water to the seafood sauce. Swirl in the butter for some added richness, and give it a good stir. This is all done with very low heat, at this point. Garnish with the basil at the end so they don’t wilt. Now, it’s time to plate. Sprinkle with cheese and voilà, the result is a lip smacking delicious pasta dish.

I hope you will try this delectable recipe that will have your loved ones begging for seconds. Stay tuned for more delicous dishes. Until then, have a fantastic day!

Wine pairing suggestions: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc. For a special occasion, pair this dish with a nice Viognier, and you will wow your guests.